Defense cuts would hollow out military

Rowan Scarborough:
A new congressional report spells out in detail how the military would become “hollow” if Congress‘ super committee fails to agree on deficit reductions and $1 trillion in automatic spending cuts kick in.
The Army and Marine Corps would lose 200,000 troops, bringing active strength “well below” pre-Sept. 11, 2001, levels, and the armed forces would not be able to carry out its essential mission, says a 14-page analysis by the Republican majority staff of the Housed Armed Services Committee.
The report also says the cuts would deplete weapon systems, further degrading the fighting capabilities of the armed forces.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned repeatedly in recent weeks of a weakened, or hollow, military if a congressional super-committee fails to agree on deficit reductions by Nov. 23. By law, the stalemate would require across-the-board slashing at all federal agencies, including the Pentagon. Mr. Panetta has not offered many details.
But the House analysis is now filling in the blanks. According to the report, the base defense budget, minus actual war costs, would plunge from a planned $596 billion in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2012, to $491 billion.
 “Resultant force structure is insufficient to decisively win an engagement in one theater while defending vital national interests in another,” states the internal report, prepared for CommitteeChairman Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, California Republican.
 “Jeopardizes ability to respond to potential contingencies in North Korea or Iran,and adequately defend allies [including Israel and Taiwan] and deployed U.S. forces,” the report states.
...
The story then gets into more specifics of the cuts required if there is no deal.  I suspect that some Democrats would actually like to see these draconian cuts.   For those who do not, what are they willing to give up from Obama's agenda?
 

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